With less than four weeks to go for T20 World Cup 2026, the onus is on the respective teams to have clarity about their squads for the tournament. Co-hosts India have two potential injury cases to deal with - Tilak Varma and Washington Sundar. Both players are on different ends of the fitness spectrum but the common factor that is they are racing against time to be fit for the showpiece event.
Varma suffered a testicular torsion during the Vijay Hazare Trophy and subsequently had to undergo surgery for the same. This ruled him out of the first three India-New Zealand T20Is scheduled later this month. The initial target for the southpaw is to get fit for the last two games of that series, although it could be a 50-50 situation.
Meanwhile, Sundar suffered a side strain during the first ODI between India and New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday (January 11). He left the fielder after the 20th over of New Zealand's innings, having bowled five overs, and took no further part in that innings. It was soon evident that the injury would rule him out of the series and Sundar was unlikely to bat until the match situation forced him to.
It didn't seem like India would risk Sundar for a largely insignificant bilateral ODI but they did and he couldn't run or play any shots properly due to discomfort in his ribs. While it isn't official yet, Sundar could miss the first few T20Is, given that he needs to be nursed with caution as the World Cup isn't far away.
Teams have time till January 31 to make changes to their preliminary squads. India are likely to wait till that date for the updates of Varma and Sundar, hoping that the duo get fit by then. In terms of probability, Sundar has a better chance to get fit in time, although he may have to rest a bit longer for it.
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As for Varma, the post-surgery phase for testicular torsion is a tricky period, especially for a high-intensity sport like cricket. It can take from two to four weeks before a sportsperson can resume intense physical activity. With the medical condition being sensitive, Varma's scenario seems a lot more in doubt for now.
Once the January 31 deadline is over, teams can make changes only in exceptional cases and will need the approval of the ICC's technical committee. It is too early for India to think of replacements and the selectors will be hoping for the duo to regain fitness in time.